Character Strengths Index (CSI)

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is this assessment for?
Anyone can take the CSI and benefit – it doesn’t matter the role you play or your level within the organization.

How long does it take to complete the assessment?
The CSI is composed of 95 statements that you will be asked to rate. On average, it takes most people approximately 15 – 20 minutes to complete.

When will I receive my feedback report?
Your personalized feedback report will be available immediately upon completion of the CSI.

Who gets a copy of my feedback report?
You are the only person who will receive the results of your CSI. The system generates and delivers the feedback report immediately upon completion of the assessment. If you wish, you may download the report and share it with others.

How do I use this assessment?
There are multiple uses for the valuable information provided by the CSI, four of which include:

Gaining greater self-awareness of your own personal character strengths.

Learning more about thirty-six important character qualities critical to success and how each one is displayed in your everyday behaviors.

Understanding, more specifically, which character qualities have the potential to derail, or hinder, you efforts to build relationships, reach your goals, work with colleagues, lead others, and perform your best.

Knowing which behaviors, when put into action, will strengthen your character and help you maximize your potential for success.

Is the CSI a personality or psychological assessment?
The CSI was not developed to measure personality or psychological constructs or ideas. Rather, it intends to measure the value you place on specific and defined character qualities – and – how often your behavior demonstrates these qualities.

Do I need someone to debrief or explain the feedback report to me?
No. The feedback report was created in a way that anyone can read through it and understand how to interpret the findings.

What if I misplace my report, can I get another copy?
Yes. Just return to your link and log-in using your email address and the password you set up when you registered and you will have access to your report.

Can I use the CSI to evaluate employees?
No. The CSI is not intended for evaluation purposes. It has been intentionally created to be a tool for a person’s private use for self-understanding and personal development planning. The CSI is a self-report assessment and if a person knows it is being used for evaluative purposes, it will significantly increase rating bias and cause the assessment to be invalid.

Can I use the CSI for hiring people?
No. The CSI is for personal use only and not as a tool to determine appropriate job placement. The CSI is intended to aid the awareness and development and should not be used to judge future performance. In fact, only tools that are specifically created to predict job performance and are statistically validated to do so should be used for making hiring decision.

Can the CSI be used with Strata Leadership training programs?
Definitely. The CSI enriches any training program, providing participants with a deeper understanding and sense of awareness of their personal character strengths and challenges. Strata training facilitators will connect the CSI to the training topic and help each participant use their results to personalize a plan of action.

How often should I take the CSI to monitor my growth and progress?
In order to effectively measure your strengths and monitor your development progress, it is recommended that you re-take the CSI every 12 to 18 months.

Can I purchase the CSI for a group or team of people?
Yes. If you would like to purchase more than one assessment, please contact Strata Leadership customer service at 877.357.0001. We offer group/volume discounts and can create a designated group/organization log-in website that can only be used by your team, group, or organization.

How can a manager or leader use the assessment with their team(s)?
The CSI is a useful tool to benefit your team or organization. You can provide the CSI to each member for self-assessment and greater self-awareness. By encouraging individuals on your team to explore and gain a greater awareness of their character; you can help them develop and grow their strengths, while also addressing challenges.

Additionally, the CSI is an excellent teambuilding tool. Once every member of your team has completed the CSI, a Strata Leadership facilitator can lead a team building training with the group. During this training, the team will explore character strengths and challenges, and discover the core character behaviors that will lead to greater team trust, communication, and effectiveness.

How can an organization use the CSI to improve workplace culture?
Organizational culture is composed of the unique character qualities and competencies of its people. Not only must members understand character and what it is, but also how to strengthen their own personal character qualities in order to deepen relationships and improve performance. Character can only be strengthened by intentional effort based on self-awareness. By growing and developing each individual member, you strengthen the organization.